The Electrical Installations and Safety Systems Subcommittee of the UITP Metropolitan Railways Division has implemented a study to investigate ventilation and smoke extraction in metro tunnels. In metro tunnels, heat is emitted by trains, lighting, electromechanical equipment and passengers. Three types of equipment are needed to allow thermal comfort, ventilation and smoke extraction. The role of ventilation is outlined. Longitudinal ventilation is the type of ventilation most often used in railways. Smoke extraction is based on dropping pressure within the affected zone and boosting the pressure in protected zones. The influence of platform edge doors on ventilation and smoke extraction is considered. The benefits of recovering heat dissipated in metro tunnels are outlined. Details are given of the heat extraction equipment used in the Munich metro, Germany, the Paris metro, France and the Vienna metro in Austria.
Abstract